Welcome to the barn and farmhouse at Root River, on the Oak Leaf bike trail. Established in 1893 by immigrants (Meissen, Germany, 1880) Christian & Anna (Wollke) Stelzner. Once an 80-acre, 23-dairy cattle farm with vegetable gardens, it was sold to the US Government in 1936 for the land to develop the Village of Greendale. In 1955, the barn became an International Hostel. In recent years, the property was slated for demolition. Through an open proposal process, Virginia, who was born and raised in Greendale proposed a restoration proposal and was selected to restore this property, preserve it, and determine a mutually beneficial way to share its unique charm with the public in a sustainable way.
Our goal was to prevent demolition, through restoration, and to then develop a revenue generating funding stream that will recover the restoration costs, and ensure the farmsteads long term sustainability. Through the summer of 2023, we worked hard to restore the house. Then in December of 2023, we partnered with J&J Contractors to restore the roof on the barn and ensure its longevity for another 50 years. For generations, scouting troops, world travelers, and the community have shared memories of important community functions that have occurred over the century. Our goal is to once again make this property accessible to the community in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
The community has proposed many ideas for the future uses of this farmstead and we continue to explore all possible options and are accepting ideas, proposals, suggestions and comments, including rentals for future occasions. Our goal is to have the farmhouse completed by the Fall of 2023, and complete the barn renovations by the summer of 2024. Drop us a line!
On Saturday, July 29th, 2023, we held a community open house and conversation. There were many questions and comments shared. We continue to answer questions and give tours, so please reach out to us if you are interested.
6750 W Loomis Road, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129, United States
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